Colour My World
by Stella5
Summary: What if Christopher hadn't come back at the end of 'That Damn Donna Reed' and Lorelai had shown up to help Luke paint the diner? (Luke/Lorelai)
1. Part 1

  
Luke Danes lifts the phone receiver. The voice on the other end comes rushing out at him before he can even get out a simple hello.  
  
"You aren't starting without me, are you? I know I'm running late, but trying to get away from my mother is only slightly more difficult than escaping from Alcatraz... and she was _particularly _ determined tonight."  
  
Luke takes advantage of the pause when she stops for breath.  
  
"Lorelai."   
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I haven't started without you."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Not unless you count the tarps."  
  
A shocked gasp emanates from the phone.  
  
"The tarps? You spread the tarps without me? Luke... how could you?"  
  
Luke sighs and rolls his eyes.  
  
"You said you were in love with painting. You didn't say anything about tarps."  
  
"Tarps, my friend, are an integral part of the entire painting experience."  
  
Another sigh, weary and resigned.  
  
"Would you like me to take up the tarps?"  
  
There's a pause while Lorelai considers.  
  
"No, the tarps can stay - but don't you _dare_ stir any paint until I get there!"  
  
"Hey..." Luke finds himself almost grinning. "...if you don't show up soon, I make no promises."  
  
"I mean it!" Lorelai barks as she hangs up.  
  
  
She walks through the door of the diner just under half an hour later, dressed in old jeans and t-shirt and carrying a six-pack of beer.  
  
"Let the painting begin!" she calls.  
  
Luke appears from the back, standing behind the counter and staring at her as though he's afraid she might turn violent at any second.  
  
"_Let the painting begin?_ You are _way_ too happy about this."  
  
"I told you, I love to paint. What part of this is confusing to you?"  
  
"The part where anyone loves to paint. It's unnatural."  
  
Loralai scowls at him, then shrugs and picks up two bottles and hands them out for him to take.  
  
"Open, please."  
  
He takes them from her and produces a bottle opener from under the counter.  
  
"So, Martha, where would you like to start?"  
  
She scowls at him again, wagging a finger in his direction as she speaks.  
  
"There will be no mocking."  
  
"I thought mocking was one of your favorite past times," Luke answers, coming around the counter and handing her one of the bottles.  
  
"It is... only not when it's directed at me."  
  
"Sounds like a double standard to me."  
  
"There is nothing wrong with double standards. They are a proud American tradition, and I'm all for them..." Lorelai pauses to take a drink. "... as long as they work in my favor." A smile brightens her face. "So, let's get started, Burger Boy."  
  
Luke frowns.  
  
"I thought I told you not to call me that."  
  
She nods.  
  
"You did." She nods some more, and then smiles again. "I'm ignoring you."  
  
"Why doesn't that surprise me?"  
  
"I don't know. Why?"  
  
He turns away from her and bends down to rummage through one of the boxes from the paint store.  
  
"Here, have a brush."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
  
**Several Hours Later**  
  
  
"So, you still love painting?"  
  
"Yes." A defiant gleam in Lorelai's eye. "In fact, I love it so much, I wish this place was even bigger."  
  
Luke gives her a weary sigh and rolls his eyes, turning his attention back to the wall. Just a little more here and they can start to work on the trim.  
  
"You're going to have some serious paint left over," she says. "I tried to tell you we didn't need this much."  
  
"_You_ told..." Luke trails off and shakes his head.  
  
"What is with you men?" she goes on. "Everything always has to be more, or bigger, or..."  
  
Luke heaves an exasperated sigh and drops the paint roller back into the pan. He turns around to find Lorelai right behind him, smirking.  
  
"You're baiting me," he says. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing."  
  
"Can't fool you," she grins.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"You obviously want something. So, why not save us alotta time and just tell me what it is?"  
  
Lorelai pouts.  
  
"Where's the fun in that?"  
  
"Nowhere... but I won't get as cranky." A pause, eyebrows raised. "What?"  
  
"Coffee."  
  
"No."  
  
"Luke, I've just painted a large portion of your diner. Is coffee so much to ask in return for a favor of this magnitude?"  
  
"_I'm_ the one doing _you_ the favor. You love to paint, remember?"  
  
"Yes, but not without coffee."  
  
"No coffee."  
  
"But, see..."  
  
"Do you know what time it is? If I make you coffee now, you'll be up all night."  
  
"Well, the last time I looked, we still had to do the counters and all the trim, so sleep isn't looking like a good bet any time soon."  
  
"I guess I can't argue with you there."  
  
"Great! So, this means that you'll make coffee while I take over here, right?"  
  
"Wrong."   
  
"Wrong? OK, Help me here..."  
  
"I want to finish this wall, then maybe I'll _consider_ making you coffee."  
  
"I'll do it! See, that leaves you free to make coffee."  
  
"No thanks, I got it."  
  
"Really, I don't mind."  
  
  
They both bend to pick up the paint roller and find themselves almost nose to nose. They stare at one another for a long moment, obviously distracted from any discussions of coffee.  
  
Before Luke can think about what he is doing, he closes the distance, his mouth covering hers. Lorelai hesitates for only an instant before returning his kiss. Her arms go around Luke's neck and he pulls her closer as the kiss deepens.  
  
When they pull apart, Lorelai smiles and whispers, "Hi."  
  
"Hi," he whispers back.  
  
"Mmmm... You'd better be careful, Mister. I'm easily distracted. I wouldn't do that again if you want this place finished tonight." She leans in with the last few words, her lips brushing his as she speaks.  
  
"I think I'll take my chances."  
  
He leans in for another long kiss, this one more insistent than the first, and pulls her closer against him. Both are smiling when their lips part.  
  
Lorelai looks at Luke mischievously.  
  
"Hey, is that a roller in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"  
  
Luke rolls his eyes and moves forward, pinning her against the edge of a table. His hips press into her.   
  
"What do _you_ think?"  
  
"I think you're _very_ happy to see me."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah..." Her arms behind his neck, puling him down to her. She snatches his baseball cap off and tosses it aside. "Show me, Burger Boy."   
  
Luke produces no verbal response, but the sound he makes is somewhere between a moan and a playful growl.   
  
His lips come down over hers once again. With no sign of his usual uncertainty, he takes Lorelai by the waist and lifts her onto the table. She wraps her legs around his waist, pulling him closer. Luke's hands slide under her t-shirt to caress smooth skin.  
  
"Luke," she breathes against his lips.  
  
"Mmm."  
  
Lorelai gasps as his hands firmly cup her backside, pulling her hard against him. Not once does his mouth leave hers. He pulls her closer still, lips moving hungrily over her own, and she moans into his mouth.  
  
When they finally break apart, she pulls back from him just enough to reach for the buttons on his ever-present flannel shirt, but his hands grasp her wrists.  
  
"Wait."   
  
"I don't..." She shakes her head, obviously confused  
  
"Are you sure you wanna do this? I mean, this is moving pretty fast, and I need to be sure this is what you want." He searches her eyes as he speaks.  
  
She seems uncertain for a moment, looks at him as though this is a test of some kind.  
  
"Yes..." She allows her legs to drop from around his waist. "I mean, I thought... do _you_...?"  
  
"Yes," he answers quickly. "I just..."  
  
"You just what?"  
  
Luke is obviously uncomfortable. His gaze wanders upward. Finally, he takes a deep breath and meets her questioning stare.  
  
"I just... I need you to be sure, Lorelai." His voice grows quiet. " I don't wanna be one of your mistakes."  
  
"My _what_?" She pushes him away and slides down from the table, pacing angrily as she speaks. "I cannot believe that you would..."  
  
"Lorelai," he interrupts.  
  
"What!?" She takes a deep breath and turns to face him. "What?"  
  
"Look, for as long as I've known you, I've watched you get close to something and then either decide it's a mistake and run, or get scared and run, or..."  
  
"OK, I get the point," she mutters sullenly. She shifts from one foot to the other, arms folded across her chest, gaze determinedly fixed on the floor in front of her.  
  
Luke moves over to her and takes her by the shoulders.   
  
"I need to know you aren't gonna bolt for the door the minute you realize what we just did,"  
he says gently. A pause. "Look at me, will ya? You're makin' me nervous."  
  
She looks up, eyes moist with threatening tears, and Luke's expression changes as though she'd just slapped him.  
  
"Lorelai, I didn't mean..."  
  
"No. Forget it." She makes an effort at a tiny smile and nods her head. "It's OK." She takes a step back from him and looks around. "We should get back to work."  
  
"Lorelai..."  
  
"Luke... please." She sighs and looks up at him. "You're right. This is too fast. Let's just get back to work. OK?"  
  
"Yeah, OK." He hangs his head and turns away from her, moving to the pan and bending to pick up the roller.  
  
She doesn't move, just stands behind him, tapping her foot, and waits for him to look up.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Aren't you forgetting something?"  
  
"I don't... Ah, jeeze! That stuff will kill you."  
  
She says nothing, just holds out her hand for the roller. He sighs and hands it over, moving past her to start the coffee.  
  
  



	2. Part 2

**Luke's Diner, 4am**  
  
  
After several hours of uncomfortable silence interrupted periodically by increasingly less awkward attempts at conversation, the painting is done.  
  
Lorelai is sprawled on the floor, leaning back on her hands, legs out in front of her. Luke is moving about collecting brushes and rollers and dumping them into a bucket of paint thinner.  
  
"I thought we were _never_ going to get done with those shelves!" Lorelai groans.  
  
"Ha! So you admit that painting has its downside."  
  
"No, I admit nothing of the kind."  
"But you just said..."  
  
"Luke," she begins patiently, "your shelves, if you hadn't noticed, have all these little cubby holes, making them complicated and time-consuming to paint. I was simply making an observation."  
  
"Observation, huh? It sounded more like a complaint to me."  
  
"Well, that's because you haven't had 27 cups of coffee, my friend."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Your aural interpretation skills are obviously impaired by the lack of caffeine."  
  
"_That_ makes perfect sense," he mutters.  
  
"Of course it does."  
  
"So, I _didn't_ just hear you complaining about painting the shelves?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"So you _enjoyed_ painting the shelves?"  
  
"Well... sort of."   
  
"That's what I thought."  
  
"Well, see... the detail work isn't awful, but my _true_ love of painting comes from those sweeping strokes with the roller."  
  
Luke smirks, raises his eyebrows, and utters a single word.  
  
"Dirty."  
  
"Hey! No fair... that's mine!" She rises to her feet, blushing.  
  
"Whatever you say," he mutters, going into the back with the bucket.  
  
He returns to find her draining the last of the current pot of coffee into a mug.  
  
"Jeeze! Haven't you had enough of that stuff?"  
  
"Never!" She clutches the mug protectively to her chest.  
  
"I was gonna take the rest of the paint in the back, but now I'm afraid to leave you alone. I'll probably come back to find you licking my coffee pot."  
  
"_Dirty!_" Lorelai gasps in a breathy voice. She sticks her tongue out at Luke and then smiles. "See, it's better when I say it."  
  
Luke shakes his head and goes back around the counter to collect the paint pans.  
  
"I can't talk to you when you're like this."  
  
"Like what?" she asks brightly.  
  
"Strung out on coffee."  
  
"Ah-ha! That's a lie." Lorelai points an accusing finger. "I'm _always_ strung out on coffee and you've never had any problems talking to me before." She takes a sip from her mug and looks at him expectantly.  
  
Luke straightens up, a paint pan in each hand, and rolls his eyes at her.   
  
"Of course I have... I just hide it well."   
  
Lorelai pouts as Luke walks past her to take the pans in the back. She is still pouting when he returns.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You can talk to me."  
  
"Really?" he asks. "You sure about that?"  
  
Lorelai is obviously uncomfortable.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure. We _should_ talk. Tell you what... let's get this place ready for your breakfast rush and then we can sit, have some coffee..."  
  
"No more coffee! I will not be responsible for..."  
  
"Fine," Lorelai interrupts. "No more coffee. Help me with this tarp."  
  
Luke doesn't move. He is looking at her with a suspicious glint in his eye.  
  
"I've never seen you give up on the coffee thing so easily." His eyes narrow. "What are you up to?"  
  
"Luke! I can't believe that you would suspect my motives. I'm wounded." She tries to keep a straight face, but can't completely hide her grin.  
  
He sighs and holds out his hand.  
  
"Give me the tarp."   
  
  
**Just under an hour later**  
  
  
"You know," Lorelai says as they move the last table into place, "it's probably just as well that we didn't sully this table. Taylor would be scandalized at how close this came to turning from a family diner into a den of..."  
  
"Stop!" Luke throws up his hands. "I don't need another reason to second guess myself."  
  
Lorelai moves over to him and takes his hands.   
  
"No. It was good that you stopped things before they went any..." She stops when she sees the look that comes into Luke's eyes. "Stop. I'm not saying what you think I'm saying."  
  
"What _are_ you saying?"  
  
"I'm saying that you were right... and you might want to mark this day on your calendar since you're not likely to _ever_ hear me say that again." She pauses, smiles. "I would have freaked out... not because I didn't want it, but because I wouldn't have had a chance to think about the fact that I wanted it before I got it." Another pause. "Am I making sense?"  
  
"Do you ever?"  
  
"OK... so do you think you might kiss me now before I change my mind and decide that you're too surly to play with?"  
  
Luke moves closer to her, arms going around her waist.  
  
"Only if you get back onto that table." He gives her a conspiratorial grin. "I want to make sure to save it for Taylor later."  
  
She smiles, arms coming around his neck.  
  
"Oooh... plotting to torment Taylor. _You_ know how to get a girl _really_ hot!" she teases.  
  
"Come here."  
  
Luke's mouth stops just short of hers, and he pulls back to look into her eyes.  
  
"I thought I'd really messed up."  
  
She nods, returning his gaze.  
  
"So did I... but," she continues proudly, "you will note that I did _ not_ take off running into the night."  
  
He smiles, leans in.  
  
"I took that as a good sign."  
  
"So did I... kiss me."  
  
"We aren't finished with this, you know."  
  
"What!? Luke Danes actually _wants_ to talk? So _this_ is what it's like to have a Rod Serling moment." He rolls his eyes. "Alright... we aren't finished, but we _are_ putting it on hold long enough for you to kiss me, if you can ever manage to get around to it."  
  
He considers for a moment, then nods.  
  
"OK."   
  
"Are you planning to kiss me, or what?"  
  
He kisses her, pulling her close.  
  
"So," he murmurs against her lips, "where exactly does this leave us?"  
  
"Well..." She pauses for another quick kiss, "I suppose we should talk, possibly during a date."  
  
"Sounds good to me. What are you doing tonight?"  
  
"Sleeping."  
  
"Good idea. What about tomorrow?"  
  
"Going on a date?"  
  
"Seven?"  
  
"Seven-thirty."  
  
"Done."  
  
"I should warn you, though..." Another kiss. "I don't fool around on the first date." An evil smile, then she continues in a small, innocent voice, batting her eyelashes as she speaks. "You'll have to be patient with me... after all, I want to be sure I don't make any mistakes."  
  
Luke rolls his eyes.  
  
"Here it comes."  
  
"What?" she makes an admirable attempt at sounding innocent, but the giggling ruins the effect.  
  
"How long?"  
  
"I'll have to let you know... I haven't decided yet." Still giggling.  
  
He kisses her once more then lifts her down from the table.  
  
"Go home, get some sleep."  
  
"Sleep? Are you kidding? I won't be able to sleep after all that coffee you let me drink. I'll be up for _hours_."  
  
"But if you stay here, you'll just bug me for more coffee."  
  
"I know! It's a dilemma."  
  
"Let me guess... you're staying here."  
  
"You know me too well. I thought maybe a little later, I'd call Rory so she could come down and bug you for coffee, too."  
  
"Exactly the way I want to spend my morning when I've had no sleep."  
  
"I thought so. See how attuned I am to your needs?"  
  
"Go home."  
  
"No. I can't miss Taylor, and you know he'll come in first thing. I have to be here to make sure you remember to give him the best table."  
  
She raises her eyebrows suggestively and earns a reluctant grin from her companion.  
  
"OK, now that I"ve made you smile, do I get some more coffee?"  
  
"No coffee for you today. You've already had your quota for the week."  
  
"That is so unfair!" she pouts. "And after all I've done for you. Ingrate!"  
  
"I'm just looking after my interests."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"If you get no sleep today, you'll be cranky tomorrow and the dating thing won't go so well... and who knows? You might decide you've made a mistake, and..."  
  
"Hey!" She is about to go on, but stops.  
  
He smirks at her but says nothing. She rolls her eyes.  
  
"Alright, how long?"  
  
"I'll have to let you know... I haven't decided yet."  
  
"I'll just drink Rory's coffee."  
  
"I can always cut her off, too."  
  
"You wouldn't!"  
  
"Try me."  
  
"Well, then I can't possibly go out with you. How could I date a man who would abuse my beloved child in such a heartless manner?"  
  
Luke rolls his eyes.   
  
"I'm going upstairs to change now."  
  
"Oooh... can I come?"  
  
"Sorry. I don't change on the first date."  
  
"You're no fun!"  
  
"I'll work on that."  
  
"OK, I'm going home for a shower and inferior coffee. I'll be back in half an hour." She points a finger at him. "Don't you _dare_ let Taylor through that door until I get back, got it?"  
  
"I'll see what I can do."  
  
He follows her to the door to let her out. She walks through it and then turns around to face him.  
  
"Luke?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
He smiles.  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
"Luke?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I expect coffee when I get back here."  
  
"I know. We'll see."  
  
He steps back and closes the door, heading upstairs with a smile on his face. 


End file.
